Web Du Bois vs. Booker T. Washington: Who Was Right?

Two great leaders of the black community in the late 19th and 20th century were W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington. However, they sharply disagreed on strategies for black social and economic progress. Their opposing philosophies can be found in much of today's discussions over how to end class and racial injustice, what is the role of black leadership, and what do the 'haves' owe the 'have-nots' in the black community. W.E.B. DuBois was born on February 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He died August 27, 1963 but not before he was known as a historian,professor writer, editor, sociologist and my favorite , the radicalist. Du Bois grew up in a single parent home with no father. He went to schools that had mostly white students. (This I found very intriguing because his attitude was more blacks should be equal no matter what unlike his counter part Booker T. Washington whose attitude seemed to be put whites first.) I also learned that while many speak of Booker T. Washington's illegal and slick ways, Du Bois had been to prison for allowing foreigners to register.

Du Bois argued that, given the opportunity to educate themselves, American blacks would emerge from behind what he referred to as their "veil" of self-conscious "differentness."Dubois and 29 others started a movement that aided in changes for African Americans. This movement was called the Niagara movement and women were allowed to be members. Doing this time Booker T. Washington was noted for keeping the press from printing however, some articles did get out. In 1909, after an outbreak of rioting and murders of Negroes in Springfield, Illinois, a protest meeting was held in New York that led to the formation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. DuBois was one of the founding members of the organization. The NAACP was made up of of blacks and whites which tried to remove legal barriers to full citizenship for Negroes. The. The NAACP tried to prevent segregation and discrimination.Washington's strategy would serve only to perpetuate white oppression. Du Bois advocated political action and a civil rights agenda (he helped found the NAACP). In addition, he argued that social change could be accomplished by developing the small group of college-educated blacks he called "the Talented Tenth:" At the time, the Washington/Du Bois dispute polarized African American leaders into two wings--the 'conservative' supporters of Washington and his 'radical' critics. The Du Bois philosophy of agitation and protest for civil rights flowed directly into the Civil Rights movement which began to develop in the 1950's and exploded in the 1960's. Booker T. today is associated, perhaps unfairly, with the self-help/colorblind/Republican/Clarence Thomas/Thomas Sowell wing of the black community and its leaders. The Nation of Islam and Maulana Karenga's Afrocentrism derive too from this strand out of Booker T.'s philosophy. However, the latter advocated withdrawal from the mainstream in the name of economic advancement. One of WEB DuBois famous quotes is "One ever feels his two-ness,--an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder. The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife,--this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. In this merging he wishes neither of the older selves to be lost. He does not wish to Africanize America, for America has too much to teach the world and Africa; he does not wish to bleach his Negro blood in a flood of white Americanism, for he believes--foolishly, perhaps, but fervently--that Negro blood has yet a message for the world. He simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a Negro and an American without being cursed and spit upon by his...

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BookerT. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois were both prominent figures in the African American Community following radical reconstruction. Although they were both very powerful members of the African American community, they held polar opposite views. BookerT. believed that if Blacks formed a strong work force and became essential to the Southern economy, that whites would have no choice but to give equal rights and equal respect to them. W.E.B. DuBois on the other hand believed that Blacks should fight for voting rights and from there make changes via politics.
Another way these two varied is in the way they hoped to promote change. While BookerT. hoped to create change by African Americans assimilating into white society, and becoming a vital part of their world, DuBois wanted Blacks to virtually push their way into society. DuBois, demanded that black be given civil liberties, the right to vote, and education to all Blacks. Instead of demanding, BookerT. believed if Blacks helped themselves as much as possible they will soon be recognized, accepted, and helped by whites.
While these two seem like polar opposites this was not always the case. Prior to 1901 DuBois was a supporter of...

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During the turn of the century, between the years 1895 and 1915 there were many theories of how African Americans were going to achieve first-class citizenship. At this time first-class citizenship was determined by at least three aspects: political power, civil rights, and the higher education of Negro youth. Two prominent black leaders arose in order to accomplish this feat. They had two different ideas for one goal. These two black leaders during this time were BookerT. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois. BookerT. Washingtonwas considered at this time to be the spokesman of the black race, however, W.E.B. DuBois proposed a plan that set him right under, if not with, Mr. Washington. While BookerT. Washington believed in industrial and agricultural labor; I adamantly agree with W.E.B. Du Bois's strategy of the pursuit of intellect through higher education in order to gain first-class citizenship for the African American race.
Both, DuBois and Washington dedicated their lives to find a way to gain rights for the...

...Renaissance(1920-1933) was during the post-slavery era. This did not mean that African Americans were free. Racism still existed and African Americans were not considered equal. During this time there were many African- Americans and those of the colored race who preached that all men be considered equal. BookerT. Washington, author of “An Address Delivered at the Opening of the Cotton States' Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia, September, 1895”(1895), and W.E.B DuBois, author of “Of Mr. BookerT. Washington and Others”(1903) were two of many who spoke out against African American injustice, but they did so in contrasting ways.
BookerT. Washington, author of “An Address Delivered at the Opening of the Cotton States' Exposition in Atlanta, Georgia, September, 1895”, was born into slavery. After the Civil War Washington and his mother moved to West Virginia where he began to study. He first started self teaching but then he started school, graduated, and became a teacher himself. Washington's idea about the white man and the black man was to have them be friends, but with limitations. In these limitations, Washington wanted to please the white man. As his idea's were to please the white man, he was not...

...BookerTWashington and W.E.B. DuBois are both remarkable black leaders of the black Americans. What they do with the inequality of blacks is very different. BookerTWashingtonwas born in a black slave family and his way to work is to communicate with the white and make them feel the way they are in an upper level and blacks are beneficial for them with letting them being accepted in their earth. W.E.B. DuBois attended Fisk University, a top historically black college, obtained his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, and studied in Berlin.( “The 'Old Negro' of BookerT. Washington versus the 'New Negro' of W.E.B. DuBois.)His idea was to say to the Whites about what they need to be down and they need to accept black people to their society in a polite way, his main idea was to let blacks have the equal rights and equal education with black peoples. BookerT. Washington’s idea was to focus on the jobs for blacks that would get their normal life goes on, he is not trying to get any higher rights from white people. His help for black is letting whites accepting them on the world of white people. Gaining equality and letting black people become well...

...﻿ Although BookerT. Washington and W.E.B. Dubois differed in their approaches to combating racial discrimination between 1877 and 1915, both men developed unique and effective strategies designed to improve the lives of all African Americans.
BookerT. Washington could be considered a complete opposition, tactic wise, to W.E.B. DuBois. Washington preached a message of accommodation and self-help. He encouraged the black population to join schools and educate themselves in order to improve themselves (A). He received high criticism for his ideals of accommodation, many other black reformers thought about him as an Uncle Tom for not wanting to change the conditions of the blacks sooner. But Washington believed in a patient game of chess, let the others play their pieces and when the time comes the whites will see how truly valuable and capable blacks are. Later the NAACP, largely due to DuBois, will bash on his ideas and methods for change. This is after his Atlanta Address of 1895 where he again advocated for accommodation (D). Washington advocated a "go slow" approach to avoid a harsh white backlash. The effect was that many youths in the South had to accept sacrifices of potential political power, civil rights and higher education....

...BookerTWashington and W.E.B DuBois offered different strategies for dealing with the problems of poverty and discrimination faced by black Americans at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.
By using my knowledge of the documents and my knowledge of the period 1877-1915, I was able to asses the appropriateness of each of the strategies in the historical context in which it was developed. I came to the conclusion that BookerT Washington’s strategy was more appropriate for the time period 1877-1915 then was W.E.B DuBois’ strategy.
A summarization of BookerT Washington’s strategy presented in The Atlanta Compromise Address or “Document D” would be to say that he wanted all black Americans to learn trades. He wanted them to pass on those skills, and use those skills so their families could have a better life. “Cast down your bucket where you are…while doing this you can be sure in the future, as in the past, that you and your families will be surrounded by the most patient, faithful, law-abiding, and un resentful people that the world has seen.”-Document D. This excerpt from the document basically says that when we are taught a specific trade and teach it to our families, they can in turn be successful and live good lives in the future....

...n
Described variously as the "most outspoken civil rights activist in America," "the undisputed intellectual leader of a new generation of African- American, and "the central authorizing figure for twentieth-century African-American thought," DuBoiswas the inspiration for the literary movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. As a co-founder of the NAACP and the long-time editor of its magazine The Crisis, DuBois nurtured and promoted many young and talented African-Americans. Underlying his controversial notion of "the talented tenth," was his belief that true integration will happen when selected blacks excel in the literature and the fine arts.
William Edward Burghardt DuBois, to his admirers, was by spirited devotion and scholarly dedication, an attacker of injustice and a defender of freedom.
A harbinger of Black nationalism and Pan-Africanism, he died in self-imposed exile in his home away from home with his ancestors of a glorious pastAfrica.
Labeled as a "radical," he was ignored by those who hoped that his massive contributions would be buried along side of him. But, as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, "history cannot ignore W.E.B. DuBois because history has to reflect truth and Dr. DuBois was a tireless explorer and a gifted discoverer of social truths. His singular greatness lay in his quest for...

...BookerT. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois, both early advocates of the civil rights movement, offered solutions to the discrimination experienced by black men and women in the nineteenth and twentieth century. Despite having that in common, the two men had polar approaches to that goal. Washington, a man condoning economic efficiency had a more gradual approach as opposed to DuBois, whose course involved immediate and total equality both politically and economically. For the time period, Washington overall offers a more effective and appropriate proposition for the time whereas Du Bois's approach is precedent to movements in the future. Both have equal influence over African Americans in politics. Washington's proposal excels in reference to education while DuBois can be noted for achieving true respect from white Americans.
DuBois urged African Americans to involve themselves in politics. Gaining this power would be essential to immediate beseeching of rights. Political association would prevent blacks from falling behind because "when the Negro found himself deprived of influence in politics, therefore, and at the same time unprepared to participate in the higher functions in the industrial development which this country began to undergo, it soon...